Other New Hope books by Kathy Howard Before His Throne: Discovering the Wonder of Intimacy with a Holy God Fed Up with Flat Faith: 10 Attitudes and Actions to Pump Up Your Faith Unshakeable Faith: 8 Traits for Rock-Solid Living God’s Truth Revealed: Biblical Foundations for the Christian Faith
kathy howard
the path to God’s daily presence
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
New Hope® Publishers PO Box 12065 Birmingham, AL 35202-2065 NewHopeDigital.com New Hope Publishers is a division of WMU®. © 2014 by Kathy Howard All rights reserved. First printing 2014. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Control Number: 2013955345 Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Cover and Interior Design: Glynese Northam ISBN-10: 1-59669-409-2 ISBN-13: 978-1-59669-409-5 N144115 • 0614 • 3M1
de dic a ti on To my oldest baby, Kelley. It’s such a joy to watch you pursue holiness out of love for your Savior. Keep working it out! Philippians 2:12.
c on te nt s 9
AC K N O W L E DG M E N T S
11
IN TRO DUCT I O N
13
WEE K O N E
Arms Open Wide 33
WEE K T W O
Up Close and Personal 57
WEE K T H RE E
Face-to-Face 83
WEE K F O UR
An Extreme Makeover 109
WEE K F I V E
Light Us Up
127
WEE K S I X
Running into His Arms 154
LEADE R G U I DE
a c k n owle dg ment s God has blessed my life with an abundance of godly women. Several of them have allowed me to share glimpses of their faith walk in this book: Denise, Lisa, Janet, Stephanie, Linda, Jenny, and Stacy. Thank you for your friendship and your example. I am honored to work with New Hope Publishers. Andrea Mullins, Joyce Dinkins, Maegan Roper, and the rest of the staff work tirelessly to further the kingdom. Thank you for your ministry! Much gratitude and big hugs to the women’s ministry team and my Bible study friends at The Woodlands First Baptist Church. Thank you, ladies, for all your prayers, words of encouragement, and support. I love you all!
in tr odu c t i on Would you like to sit next to God and snuggle up against His side? To be so close you could hear Him breathe? There would be no distance between the two of you, no barriers to prevent you from drawing near. You could linger in His presence and rest in the circle of His embrace. All of us desire to experience this kind of intimate relationship with our heavenly Father. Yet, we often feel disconnected. We may even sense that something blocks our path to deep, personal companionship with God. According to Scripture, a life of holiness can pave the way for greater intimacy in our relationship with God. King David, described as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), understood the connection between a holy life and experiencing God’s presence. Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. (PSALM 15:1–2 NLT)
Unholy living floods believers’ lives with the natural consequences of sin, including distance and strain in our relationships with our holy God. But a journey toward holiness is also a journey toward intimacy with God. As we embrace the holy life God calls us to, we are embraced by the Holy One Himself. During the six weeks of this study, we will search God’s Word to answer questions such as these: • Why do I need to be holy? • What is holiness? • What does a holy life look like? • Is holiness worth it? • Is holiness really possible and how?
My prayer for us — you and me — as we go through this study of God’s Word, is that He will give us a deeper understanding of His holiness and overwhelm us with a desire to share in it. As we seek holiness, may we experience the fullness of God’s presence and be embraced by holy.
W E E K O NE
a r m s o p e n w id e ur neighbors are building a fence. They moved in several months ago, but until recently the property line between our driveway and their backyard was wide open. With no barrier between our properties, I noticed when the dad played catch with his three sons, and I was able to enjoy the beautiful landscaping around their patio. But all that began to change when I left town last week. The first things I noticed when I got home were the sturdy wooden posts firmly planted in the ground every few feet between our yards. Within days, cedar fencing replaced my unobstructed view of my neighbors and their yard. I’m not against suburban fences. This one will benefit them and us. But watching that physical fence go up reminded me of other kind of fences we tend to build, particularly between ourselves and God. Our heavenly Father longs for intimate fellowship with us. He invites us to know Him fully and deeply. Yet the lack of holiness in our lives serves as a barrier. Holy defines God’s divine nature. In His holiness, He remains separate from everything sinful. Therefore, to experience deep intimacy with God, we must share in His holiness. God longs to draw us close, so He calls us to live holy lives. Sin builds barriers and creates distance between each of us and God. Holiness breaks down walls and fosters fellowship. In our first week of study, we will explore God’s holiness and discover why holiness matters in our lives. We will also hear God’s call to holiness, His invitation to fellowship with Him. With arms wide open, He beckons you to draw near, to close the distance between you and Him. Can you hear Him call your name?
13
d ay o n e
ju st lik e o ur Fa ther
To help mark the occasion of my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, my
brother put together a slide show of photos taken over the years. The evening before the big party, our family sat together looking through the images. A photo taken of my mom and dad in the late 1970s popped up on the screen. I had to look twice to confirm that it was Mom and not me staring back at me in the image. “Well, I guess you know what you’ll look like in about 30 years,” my brother remarked.Yeah, I thought. Just like Mom looks now! Physically, I highly resemble my mother. I inherited her green eyes and angular facial features. Our voices sound like stereo. When people look at me, they immediately know I’m related to Margaret. Similarly, I should resemble my heavenly Father enough that people will know I’m His child. When people spend time with me, I should remind them of God. When Christians live holy lives, we reflect God’s character to the world. Would you use the word holy to describe yourself? If you said no, you have a lot of company. According to a poll by the Barna Group, only 29 percent of Americans who claim to have a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ (referred to as born again by Barna) consider themselves to be holy. Do you think God wants you to be holy? Forty-six percent of born-again Americans say yes. That means the majority — about 54 percent — either don’t think God wants them to be holy or they just don’t know. Let’s see what the Bible says. Read the following Scripture passages and record what they teach about holiness. Include God’s expectations for our holiness and why we should be holy.
Leviticus 20:7–8
Romans 12:1
Ephesians 1:3–4
Even this small sampling of Scripture should leave no room for doubt in our minds: God commands His people to be holy. Holiness is not a suggestion or a lifestyle reserved for the superspiritual. It is a command, an act of obedience for all believers. To reinforce God’s command for holiness, read 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 and answer the following multiple-choice questions: Paul instructed Christians in Thessalonica to live holy lives so they would:
a. Have to struggle to live rightly. b. Be laughed at by their neighbors. c. Please God. Our lives will become holy:
a. Overnight. b. Progressively over time as we continue to obey God. c. Never, it’s impossible. Those who accept God’s call to live a holy life:
a. b. c. d.
Accept God Himself. Obey God’s will. Acknowledge Jesus’ authority in their life. All of the above.
In his book, The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges provides a helpful definition of holiness: “To be holy is to be morally blameless. It is to be separated from sin and, therefore, consecrated to God. The word signifies ‘separation to God, and the conduct befitting those so separated.’” When I chase after holiness, I acknowledge that I belong to God. Because I am His, I should want to live a life that pleases Him and not the world. Many Christians think a holy life is too difficult. They recognize the truth that God commands His children to be holy and want to please
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Him, but life gets in the way. Others compare themselves to the Christians around them and think they’re doing pretty good. But God doesn’t call us to “pretty good.” He calls us to holiness. Keep in mind, whatever God requires of His children, He also supplies. God requires holiness, but His Spirit provides the power to turn away from sin. God calls us to holiness and God provides what we need to be holy. But, why would we want to be holy? One reason is found in the very nature of holiness. The basic meaning of holy is to be “set apart.” We are set apart from something and to something. As Christians we are set apart from the world — set free from its sinful ways and our own fleshly desires (Romans 12:1–2; 1 Peter 1:14). And we are set apart to God (Leviticus 20:26). We are unfettered from the bondage of sin and loosed to draw close to God. Thus, God’s call to holiness is a call to freedom. Nancy Leigh DeMoss elaborates on the freedom holiness brings in her book, Holiness: The Heart God Purifies:
Week 1 Day 1 16
Why do we make holiness out to be some austere obligation or burden to be borne, when the fact is that to be holy is to be clean, to be free from the weight and the burden of sin? Why would we cling to our sin any more than a leper would refuse to part with his oozing sores, given the opportunity to be cleansed of his leprosy? To pursue holiness is to move toward joy — joy infinitely greater than any earthly delights can offer.”
Scripture reveals many more blessings of a holy life. We will take a closer look at these in Week Five, but let’s get a glimpse now. Read the Scripture passages below and write the benefits of living a holy life. Deuteronomy 7:6
Psalm 24:3–5
Hebrews 12:14
Are you ready to explore holiness? I am honored to be your guide on this journey. This freedom trek will take us from the base of God’s holy mountain to the foot of Christ’s Cross and beyond. Let’s get started. As we close today, write a prayer to God expressing your desire to understand His holiness and how He wants to work in your life.
Week 1 Day 1 17
day two
ge ttin g t o k no w Hi m
Our oldest daughter, Kelley, worked part-time all throughout university
and still made excellent grades. During the last year of her undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to meet her boss and several of her coworkers. They literally raved about her — her work ethic, her character, her personality. Her boss even gave me credit for a “wonderful job of raising such a terrific young woman.” Our parenting has not been the only influence in our daughter’s life, but who she has become does reflect on me and her dad. She has made us look pretty good! However, there was an incident when she was about four that cast a pretty dim light on us as parents. One Monday night we received a call from Kelley’s Sunday School teacher. I could tell she was dreading the conversation. Kelley had used a four-letter word in class. “If it had been the first time,” the teacher said she wouldn’t have bothered us, but Kelley had shared the expletive several times with her young Sunday School chums. We weren’t sure where she picked it up, but it certainly wasn’t the way we wanted her to represent the Howard family. If you are a Christian, you are God’s child, His representative. The way you live is a reflection on the God to whom you belong. He calls us to correctly reflect His nature to the world.
Read 1 Peter 1:14–16. On what truth does God base His command to be holy?
Describe the behavior God contrasts with holiness?
Before we experienced God’s great salvation, we “lived in ignorance,” fulfilling our fleshly desires. But God has “given us new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3). Therefore, we can respond with obedience, joyfully anticipating our eternal inheritance. This new life of obedience is to be a holy life, based on the very nature of the God who saved us. As we saw in Day 1, our call to holiness is consistent throughout Scripture — both the Old and the New Testaments. In fact, the Apostle Peter quoted from Leviticus 11:44–45: “Be holy, because I am holy.” God does not change (Malachi 3:6); His expectations for His children do not change. We are to be holy because our God is holy. Since our holiness is to be a reflection of God’s holiness, that’s where we must begin our journey toward holiness. What does it mean that God is holy? Read the Scripture passages listed below. List any facts and descriptive words and phrases you find in each one that help you understand God’s holiness. (I’ve completed the first one as an example.) Exodus 15:11
Psalm 96:8–9
Proverbs 9:10
Isaiah 57:15
Week 1 Day 2 19
Revelation 4:8b
The Hebrew adjective translated as “holy” in Leviticus 11:44–45 and many other passages is qadosh. It describes that which is “distinct from the common or profane.” In reference to God, it means His character is “totally good and entirely without evil.” Not only is He “free from the moral imperfections and frailties common to man,” He is “absolutely separate from evil.” In one of his letters, the Apostle John painted a word picture that will help us understand this concept. Read 1 John 1:5. On the line below, place an X to represent where God falls on the spectrum. Light Darkness
Week 1 Day 2 20
Throughout Scripture the words light and darkness are used metaphorically. Light represents godly characteristics such as righteousness, goodness, truth, life, justice, and salvation. Darkness stands for the antithesis of light, specifically evil and wickedness. In your own words, write what it means that God is holy. (Consider the definition for holy and John’s light/darkness metaphor when writing your description.)
God is the epitome of holiness. He is so separate from and above us in His holiness that we cannot even fully grasp its meaning. The word majesty is used to communicate this idea. Some refer to this as the “otherness” of God. However, our inability to completely understand God’s holiness should not stop us from contemplating it. Below are several quotes from respected theologians and Bible teachers describing the holiness of God. As you read them, underline words or phrases that deepen your understanding of God’s holy nature. God’s holiness is more than just separateness. His holiness is also transcendent. . . . To transcend is to rise above something, to go above and beyond a certain limit. . . . Transcendence describes His supreme and absolute greatness. . . . Transcendence describes God in His consuming majesty, His exalted loftiness. — R. C. SPROUL, THE HOLINESS OF GOD
Holy is the way God is. To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard. He is absolutely holy with an infinite, incomprehensible fullness of purity that is incapable of being other than it is. He is holy, His attributes are holy; that is, whatever we think of as belonging to God must be thought of as holy. — A. W. TOZER, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY
God’s holiness then is perfect freedom from all evil. . . . The absolute holiness of God should be of great comfort and assurance to us. If God is perfectly holy, then we can be confident that His actions toward us are always perfect and just. . . . Because He is holy, all His actions are holy. — JERRY BRIDGES, THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS
“Be holy, because I am holy.” God is the plumb line or standard for our holiness. Humans are created in His image. God’s original intent was for us to be holy like our Maker is holy. God’s purpose has not changed. He still calls His people to holiness, to Christlikeness. God is both the reason we should be holy — and as we’ll see in the weeks ahead — the reason we can be holy. As we end today’s study, spend a few moments contemplating the holiness of God. In the space below, write a prayer of praise to our holy God.
Week 1 Day 2 21
day three
tre asu red b y G o d
B
efore sin entered the world, the first man and woman experienced and enjoyed perfect, unhindered fellowship with their Creator. Just imagine — no fences, no walls, no barriers. Nothing stood in the way of sweet intimacy with God because their lives perfectly reflected His character — just as God designed (Genesis 2). “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4). Before God made the stars He called us to be holy. But Adam and Eve chose their own way of rebellion and sin separated humanity from God. But then, and now, God calls His children back to holiness. He urges us to come out of the bondage of sin and live in freedom. The freedom to draw close to Him again. The nation of Israel provides a physical picture of this spiritual reality. After enduring slavery in Egypt for 400 years, Israel called out to God to deliver them from bondage. Read Exodus 3:7–8 and fill in the blanks. God saw their . He heard them and was concerned about their . He came down to them and to bring them into a and land.
Burdened with slavery, God’s people looked to Him for salvation. In His mercy — and to display His power — God raised a deliverer, Moses, and then led His people into freedom. Three months after their exodus, God reminded Israel of His hand and His purposes. Read Exodus 19:1–6. What did God do for the people of Israel?
What were His purposes for them?
What responsibilities did Israel have?
God brought Israel out of Egypt and made them His own. Even though the earth and everything in it belongs to God (Psalm 24:1), He declared the nation of Israel to be special — a holy nation and His “treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5). God made a covenant with Israel. God provided salvation, purpose, and life. Israel’s obligation was obedience. God’s treasured possession was to be a nation of priests, a light to the Gentiles, an intermediary between our holy God and an unholy world. This call required holiness. Unfortunately, Israel failed to answer God’s call and the consequences of their disobedience were great. Yet finally, after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and the death of an entire generation, Israel stood on the edge of the Promised Land again. The Book of Deuteronomy records Moses’ charge to the new generation. He recounts God’s deliverance, call, and expectations. But how was Israel to live out this call to holiness in the Promised Land? They didn’t have to wonder. God gave them specific instructions. Read Deuteronomy 7:1–6. Summarize what God told the people to do when they entered the Promised Land.
Why were these drastic actions necessary? (See vv. 4 and 6.)
Week 1 Day 3 23
Scan Deuteronomy 7:12–16. What would be the results of Israel’s obedience?
Israel had a big job ahead. God acknowledged the relatively small size of Israel compared to the nations they would encounter (v. 7). He knew this fact would cause anxiety. “You may say to yourselves, ‘These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?’” (v. 17). Read Deuteronomy 7:18–19. How did God reassure the Israelites?
Week 1 Day 3 24
A life of holiness can seem like a daunting task. We stand on the edge of the Promised Land with the blessings of God before us, yet we may lack the courage to move forward. What if obedience is too hard? What if God asks me to give up something I’m too weak to leave behind? What if the lure of the world is stronger than my resolve? The way God worked in the life of His holy nation, Israel, parallels the way God still works today. He called Israel to live as a holy nation. This required purging the land of anything and everything that would draw their hearts away from God. They had to fight, but they were not responsible for the outcome (see vv. 1–2). As they moved forward in obedience, God would go before them in power, delivering the enemies into their hands. Apply this biblical principle to your own life. As you obediently answer God’s call to live a holy life, what will God do?
Write a prayer below expressing any fears and anxieties you have about responding to God’s call to holiness.
day four
g r a t e fu l h e a r t s
W
e all have them — those funny family stories. The stories that, when retold, bring peals of laughter from everyone. Well, almost everyone. Sometimes one family member simply responds with an embarrassed chuckle. One of our funniest family memories involves our daughter, Sarah, and a turnstile. It was the last week of summer and time to get ready for a new school year. Back then we lived in a small town about 25 miles outside Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The kind of shopping we needed to do required a trip to the city. So the three kids and I piled in the minivan and headed off for a day in Calgary. We had almost hit the city limits when the smallest voice from the backseat announced he had gotten into the van without any shoes. Mom made a quick decision. We would not return home; six-year-old Mark needed new shoes anyway. Our first stop would be the sporting goods store not far into the city. It didn’t take long to pick out a nice pair of sneakers and socks and get to the checkout. While trying to explain to the checker why I was paying for an empty box, I heard a familiar scream close behind me. Sarah, our nine-year-old, had somehow managed to get herself caught in the turnstile at the store entrance. I can’t even explain how she did it because I didn’t see it happen. The best I can determine is she tried to push through the turnstile on the wrong side where it spun under a crossbar. When she discovered she couldn’t get through that way, she tried to back out, but instead wedged herself between the turning tripod and the stationary crossbar. Head and shoulders hung out one side, and her lower half hung out the other. She wasn’t hurt, but she was angry. While she continued to scream, the rest of us couldn’t help but laugh — while trying to help her, of course. But she was stuck fast. Releasing her required the manager and a special turnstile key.
Have you ever been trapped with no hope for escape? Held in slavery and in need of salvation? Just like Sarah’s turnstile prison, we’ve all been caught fast in sin with no way to save ourselves. Yet, while we were still held captive God chose to free us and make us His own. And just like God called the children of Israel to holiness when He delivered them from slavery in Egypt, He’s called us to holiness. He still calls all His children to holiness. Based on what we’ve learned so far, define your call to holiness?
Week 1 Day 4 26
From Scripture, we’ve learned that our call to holiness is based on the character of God Himself. God is holy. As His children we are called to conform to His character. “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). We’ve also touched on the blessings associated with holy living (which we will explore a little more in Week Five). However, now let’s consider another powerful motivation. Read the Scripture references listed on the left and draw a line to the appropriate phrase on the right. Galatians 1:3–4
Jesus suffered to make us holy through His blood.
Ephesians 5:25–26
Christ’s sacrifice makes us holy.
Hebrews 10:10
Jesus gave Himself for our sins and to rescue us from evil.
Hebrews 13:12
Christ died to make us holy because He loves us.
Based on the verses above, what strong motivation should we have for pursuing holiness?
Jesus died to make us holy. Like the children of Israel, we have gone from chains to chosen to covenant. God chose us to be His own and saved us from the bondage of sin and death. He brought us into the new covenant sealed with the blood of Christ and calls us to respond with holiness. Read 1 Peter 1:3–4 below. Circle the words that describe the salvation that is ours in Christ.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. Read 1 Peter 1:13–16. In light of our salvation, (note the “Therefore” that begins v. 13) how should we respond?
In her book, Holiness: The Heart God Purifies, Nancy Leigh DeMoss discusses our holiness in light of Jesus’ death: When we tolerate our sin and refuse to be parted from it, we spurn the love and the grace of Christ; we trample His Cross and count His sacrificial death of no value. Jesus didn’t shed His blood so you and I could have a passport to happiness and heaven, while continuing to indulge our lust, anger, and jealousy; our addictions and critical, competitive spirits; our selfishness and pride. His death provides the motivation and the power to say no to sin and yes to holiness in every area of our lives. Jesus died to make us holy, to deliver us from sin. How, then can we carelessly or casually continue to sin against such a Savior?
Have you ever taken the sacrificial death of Christ for granted? I have. Have you ever been guilty of viewing His death as merely a “Get Out of Jail Free” card? (Maybe you didn’t do this consciously, but looking back now, perhaps you realize that attitude was revealed in the way you lived.) Have you failed to change the way you live in light of His grace? As we close today, let’s ask God to give us a fuller understanding of the purpose of Christ’s death. May our lives be impacted by His truth.
Week 1 Day 4 27
day five
a ligh t in t he d a r k nes s
E
ven one life surrendered to live in the light of Christ can impact the darkness. Just ask Nicky Cruz. Born in Puerto Rico in 1938, Nicky was surrounded by the oppressive darkness of the occult. Until his midteens he suffered physical abuse from his witchcraft-practicing parents. At 15, Nicky went to New York to stay with an older brother; by 16 years old, he was the leader of the brutal Mau Maus, a notorious street gang in Brooklyn. After years of violence, drugs, and arrests, Nicky encountered a preacher named David Wilkerson. Even after being beaten up and having his life threatened by Nicky, Wilkerson persisted in showing him God’s love and sharing the life-changing message of Christ. The result — the dramatic conversion of a soul-scarred, ruthless gangster. In Day 2 of this week we read 1 John 1:5, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” John used light as an analogy for God’s holiness, and darkness to represent sin and evil. Holiness in God’s people attracts others to God like light beckons us to leave the darkness. Before meeting Christ, Nicky Cruz had known only darkness. Then God used David Wilkerson to show him light. Today Nicky Cruz’s ministry reaches tens of millions with the light of Christ. When you visit the home page of his ministry’s website, the first thing that catches your eye is this statement: “Imagine what would happen if instead of cursing the darkness we invaded it with light.” Just imagine. Does your life point those around you to God? When was the last time the holiness of your life caused a lost friend or neighbor to acknowledge God and praise Him?
Although God called the nation of Israel to be a holy nation, like us, she did not always heed that call. In fact, after centuries of rebellion and idolatry, God brought discipline. In 722 BC, Assyria conquered the kingdom of Israel. Her citizens were dragged into captivity, bringing a permanent end to the Northern Kingdom. Then in 586 BC, after previous deportations of her people, Babylon completely defeated the Southern Kingdom of Judah and took most of the remaining people back to Babylon. But that’s not the end of the story. God had eternal purposes for His people. Read Ezekiel 36:16–21. Why did God exile His people to Babylon?
Based on this passage, how important is God’s holy reputation before the people of the world?
How does the behavior of God’s people affect God’s holy reputation?
Read Ezekiel 36:8–12.What did God plan to do with and for His people whom he had exiled? Check all that apply. Bring them out of exile and back to the Promised Land. Bless the land and cause it to produce bountiful harvests. Increase the number of people and livestock. Rebuild the towns and repair the ruins. Bring prosperity to the people. Read Ezekiel 36:22–23, 29–32. Why did God say He would do all this? Mark the following statements True or False: For the sake of Israel. For the sake of God’s holy name.
Week 1 Day 5 29
To reveal His holiness to the nations. To bring Israel to repentance. Read Ezekiel 36:24–32. How would God’s holiness be revealed?
Week 1 Day 5 30
The prophet Ezekiel foretold the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. God fulfilled this prophecy beginning in 538 BC when Cyrus, King of Persia, issued an edict allowing the Israelites to return. God disciplined His people because their lack of holiness had caused the nations to scorn God. He led them back from exile to show His holiness to the world. He brought them to repentance and cleansed their lives from impurity. His Spirit moved them to obedience and He blessed them. God’s purpose was for the world to notice and give Him glory. In his commentary on this passage in Ezekiel, Ralph Alexander observes, “The nations would observe this marvelous transformation in Israel and see the Lord as the only gracious and loving God, for Israel was not deserving of restoration.” God still wants to reveal His holiness to the world through the lives of His people. His purposes have not changed. Read 1 Peter 2:9–12. List the words found in verse 9 used to describe God’s people.
According to the second half of verse 9, why did God choose us and make us holy?
Reread verses 11–12. What will cause the pagans (ungodly) to glorify God?
I’ve heard numerous nonbelievers say that the biggest reason they don’t go to church or seek God is the hypocrisy of the Christians they know. Granted, some use this as an excuse, but I’ve heard it too many times for it not to include some truth. Believers, we have been chosen by God and called to be holy so we can reveal Him to a lost world. Are our “good lives” causing others to glorify God or are our “sinful desires” profaning His holy name? Pause for a moment and ask God to show you how your life impacts those around you. What change can you make in your life today that would cause others to glorify God?
When my friend Denise was in high school, something happened to convince her that holiness must be a “consistent lifestyle, one that reflects God’s character.” This event still encourages her to live in a way that points people to Jesus. Denise became a Christian as a child, so by the time she was a teenager she actively shared her faith with friends. One day at school, Denise and a friend she had been telling about Jesus were standing around chatting with a group. Someone in the group accused Denise of horribly slandering another person. The friend immediately jumped to her defense. “Denise didn’t say those things. She doesn’t talk like that about people because it’s not who she is.” The other teenager had recognized consistent, holy behavior in the life of one of God’s children. In fact, it impacted her so greatly, she was convinced she could depend on Denise to always behave that way. Prayerfully think about your own life. Can you agree with the following statements? Y
N
My life consistently reflects God’s character to the people I know and encounter. My family. My friends. My neighbors. My co-workers. Other drivers on the road. The checker at the grocery store. The coach of my child’s sports team.
Y
N
If I was accused of manipulating facts at work to make myself look better, other co-workers would come to my defense.
Week 1 Day 5 31
Y
N
If a neighbor on my block heard someone say I was a Christian, they would not be surprised.
Y
N
I can honestly say my life is pleasing to God.
As we end this week’s study, ask God to show you specific areas of your life that do not reflect His holiness. Write whatever He shows you below.
Week 1 Day 5 32